“Yes, Lucifer,” we both chant. My mind races. This is all happening too fast. I can’t process it. Not while I keep reliving my own murder.
“That means you will go to Los Angeles tonight. You have ten hours to reach the big press conference the Beverly Hilton hotel is hosting for Noah, because I am certain our soon-to-fall Angel, Josh, will be tempted to make an appearance. I’ve found it necessary to speed up the schedule.”
He snaps his fingers and disappears from view. Keira rises and tucks the dagger away in a sheath beneath her blouse.
“Are you going to do it?” she asks me. “Seduce him?”
“Are you going to kill us?” I ask in return.
We stare at each other for a full minute. I don’t want to believe that the Keira I’ve come to know would do such a horrible thing, but I can’t ignore her past choices or what she is. And I certainly can’t be sure she’s strong enough to fight Lucifer’s will if I’m not even sure I can. I want to trust her, but I’d be a fool to do so. Still, I can’t lose the woman my brother loves.
“Thank you,” I say, “for trying to help me before. I’m sorry you were caught.”
“I did it for Noah. Josh was supposed to help him, not almost kill him. That was the deal. So don’t be surprised if I do stab him.” And there’s the arrogant lift of her shoulders and the spark in her eye that used to make me doubt myself. But I know what’s underneath now, and it’s far less intimidating than when I first found out what she was.
What we are.
“We have hours. I’ll meet you there,” I say.
“Where are you going?” She grabs my arm, afraid I’m going to warn Josh or something, I guess. She’d never survive if Josh knew she was coming for him. He could kill her with a touch. But that’s not it. I have something else I have to take care of before I can even contemplate this mess.
“I have a human to kill.” I wait for her to laugh or tease me. Instead, she drops her hand and looks sad.
“I’ll come with you, then. I wouldn’t want you to sneak off and do something stupid.”
“So you’re not coming to watch?” I ask.
“Maybe that, too.” She smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.
I take her hand, and we appear in the lobby of the Vegas hotel, where we head straight for the glass elevator.
Inside, I lean against the clear wall and stare down at the empty enclosure. “Where’d the tiger go?” I ask.
Keira joins me. “No idea. Maybe it died.” She shrugs.
The elevator doors open, and we head for the room. It was the last place I saw him. The place he killed me.
We nearly walk straight into a very out-of-breath Randy, who grabs me and holds me like he’s seen a ghost. “Oh my Lord, Grace! Is that really you? I thought I saw you in the elevator, so I ran up the stairs. The police said it was you, and I thought it was because you climbed in there the other night. But… Oh, thank goodness.”
I stay very still and wait, hoping to make some sense out of what he’s saying.
“What did you think was her?” Keira asks.
“You didn’t hear? Someone fell in the tiger enclosure. It wasn’t pretty. She got ripped to shreds and was partially consumed.” Randy lets me loose and looks like he’s about to be ill. “They took the tiger away after that. But the body… It had curly, blond hair and, well…” He gestures to me. “I’m just glad you’re all right.”
“It was me,” I say to Keira, not caring if Randy hears. “It’s how he disposed of my body. That would have covered his tracks.” I’m shaking, but not with fear. This time it’s with rage.
At least I wasn’t conscious for that part.
“What is she talking about?” Randy asks Keira, pulling her aside.
She glances at me sideways then looks him in the eye. “You won’t remember running into us here. Grace is dead. You will go downstairs, leave, and go on with your life.”
Randy nods and strides into the elevator.
“I guess that means he cleaned up after himself,” I say. Just to be sure, I check the room, forcing the door open. There’s not a drop of blood. That’s why he put down the tarp. And the carpet is red anyway.
“Come on,” I say, storming back out the door.
“Where are we going now?” Keira asks. I guess she’s hoping I’ll give up my search.
“My room.” I stare at the empty enclosure as we descend. Yellow police tape crisscrosses the area from one banister to the next. Several onlookers mill about, pointing and chatting. A streak of brownish red is still smeared on the smooth side facing the elevator.
My blood. My blood from all the shallow wounds he inflicted so painstakingly across my flesh. I can still feel the knife pressed against each spot, including my eye. I shiver. Did he gouge out my eyes after? I grab my stomach and sink to the bottom of the elevator. Keira presses the STOP button and kneels next to me, smoothing the hair from my face. It doesn’t make me feel better—he did the same thing.
“It’ll pass. The memories will fade with time. You can drown them out by focusing on something else. Think of Josh.”
I shove her away and pull myself back up so I can press the RESUME button. “You want me to think about seducing him? So we can all live happily ever after as Demons, tortured to death again and again by the Devil while we ruin other people’s lives?”
Keira backs into the corner, mouth hanging open in a little O, eyes wide. The elevator arrives at its destination, and I storm out. I stride down the hall to the room, feeling my eyes burn red. I lift a palm to the door and shove. The whole thing bursts inward, raining splinters.
Corbin looks up from the desk where he sits with his knife, which is still darkened with my blood. He’s been cutting more eyes out of pictures. I stroll over, ignoring his dumbfounded face, and grab one. It’s someone new. A redhead this time, with curly hair.
“Your next victim?” I ask, tossing it aside.
He nods, scanning me up and down. “I left you in pieces with a hungry tiger.”
“Yeah. That was a mistake.”
“You’re a ghost.” He stands awkwardly, backing into the desk. “You’re only a spirit. You can’t hurt me.”
“Far from it,” I say. “I’m real. I can touch you all I want, and you’re going to burn in Hell.”
“I’ll just keep killing you,” he says, holding out the knife. “It was amazing. I’ll do it over and over again. I’ll keep you here, tied up, and I’ll kill you every day by cutting you up in some new way.”
“Actually, I’m going to cut you now. Last chance for repentance.” I offer him the choice, but I hold no real hope he’ll take it. Some people don’t want to be saved. He laughs.
“Here, kitty, kitty,” he says, angling the knife at me. “Wanna play?”
I grab his wrist and twist. He drops the weapon, which I pick up while still holding onto him. I hold the knife to his throat, and my stomach squirms at the fear in his eyes. It feels exhilarating but also sickening.
Do it fast, I tell myself.
Keira appears at my side and puts her hand over mine on the knife.
“Grace, it was Lucifer who did this to you. You know that, right?” she asks.
I respond with self-assurance. “Lucifer tells the truth. He said that this sicko is going to kill hundreds of women. Hundreds of people tortured, cut, their eyes gouged out… He can’t be allowed to do that to anyone else. Not one more person.”
“Then let me do it,” she says, unsheathing the cursed blade. “You won’t have to live with this forever if I do it. It won’t bother me. I’ve killed before.”
I consider it. It would be easy to let her. But that’s my problem, isn’t it? I let too many other people fight my battles while I go on being morally superior.
“You might try to kill me later, but now you’re protecting me?” I ask with a snort. I keep my eyes fixed on Corbin, who watches me silently, hunger in his eyes. A single bead of sweat at his hairline betrays his fear.
Keira ste
ps back.
“Sometimes there is no right or wrong.” I’m saying it out loud to convince myself. “Sometimes there’s only the best you can do with the information and abilities you have. Killing is wrong. But letting you live is like killing hundreds.” I steel myself and pull the blade across his throat.
I jump back out of the way as he falls to his knees, spurting blood and making that horribly familiar gurgling sound. I watch as the life drains from his face and he stills on the carpet. Then I drop the knife and walk back toward the door. I’m lightheaded with both relief and disgust.
“Come on, then,” I call behind me. “We should pick up a few things for tonight.”
Chapter 27
Keira
Holy Hell, Lucifer’s managed to remake Little Miss Perfect. Frankly, I’m a little bit scared of the new Grace. Maybe with her around, he won’t need me anymore. Either way, he’s going to end me. Even if I do succeed in killing Josh when he refuses Grace. I know that. Because Josh will refuse her, thinking he can save her if he stays an Angel or something. Ugh. He used to just think with his dick. I wish he hadn’t changed so much.
I am super pissed at him, and I’m dying to know what happened between him and Noah. But even if I did kill him for trying to kill Noah, Lucifer would find a reason to end me. Probably in front of Noah, since he now knows about our feelings having discovered us in bed together after I supposedly dumped him. He has to know that would be the only reason I disobeyed him.
The thing is, I don’t want Noah to lose it and do something stupid like attack Lucifer because he’s trying to save me. I’m certain Lucifer would win if it came down to it. And I definitely don’t want my own death to be the catalyst for that. But the only thing I may get a chance to decide is how and when my ending happens, and what I’m going to do until then.
The dagger weighs heavy in my waistband, but I scurry along, trying to keep up with the long-legged She-Demon over there. Damn, she’s pissed. He put her through a whole Hell of a lot, but I don’t think Lucifer broke her or made her evil. She just came out of the experience a more confident, more badass, avenging Demon. Good for her.
Grace glamours us a limo ride to LA. We drink two bottles of champagne and stare out the window at the desert flying by.
“I’m going to need some clothes,” she says several hours in. I was on the verge of sleep and open one eye blearily.
“Why?” I ask.
“To seduce Josh. I have to look like myself.”
Oh, Grace. I hope for her sake she gets what she wants. I settle back into the supple leather and doze off again as she goes back to brooding. I’m woken when the limo pulls onto Rodeo Drive.
Grace grins and leads the way to a few stores. We get back to the car with six packages each and go about changing in the back.
I picked out a pair of Ralph Lauren jeans and a diamond-studded top that hugs my boobs. I also have some Versace sunglasses and a pair of Jimmy Choos that make me almost as tall as Gracie. I might as well look good when the end comes.
Grace is wearing a gorgeous ivory dress that flows down to her knees; it looks like a modern version of a toga. It’s very flirty and girly—perfect for her. Aside from the Hermes dress, she’s wearing Gucci open-toed heels and Tiffany earrings.
When the driver opens the door for us at the Beverly Hilton, we stride out like movie stars, but all I can think is that I’m on a death march. I’m about to reach out to let Grace know that I’m not going to do it and she shouldn’t worry, but I stop myself. Why should she believe me? I wouldn’t blame her, with my history. Maybe there’s even some small Demonic part of me that hopes she’ll succeed in seducing Josh, and Lucifer will forgive us all.
I follow Grace through the marble hall, the click of our heels echoing in the enormous space. The ceiling is dotted with crystal chandeliers, and the walls are covered in tall windows that curve toward the arch of the ceiling and large, ancient-looking tapestries. I stare around at all the people chatting on cellphones or hurrying to their destinations and wonder if they even notice all the glitz. Grace heads with the same focused purpose to the concierge, where she demands the room number for Josh Gaynes.
“What do you mean there’s no one listed under that name?” she demands, eyes glowing.
“Whoa there, Grace,” I say, trying to rein her in. “He might not have a room.”
Grace draws a deep breath and pouts. “Okay then. Noah Howard?”
“Room 666.”
Grace glamours a key, and once again we head up to the sixth floor.
Noah opens the door, looking dazed and exhausted. I leap into his arms and kiss him.
“Ahem.” Grace shuts the door behind her and waits while I disentangle myself from Noah.
“Grace?” Noah says in disbelief, eyes wide. “Are you okay? I heard what happened.”
“You mean you heard our Boss let me be tied up, tortured, cut, stabbed, burnt, murdered, and then fed to a rare tiger?”
Noah’s eyes grow huge. “What tiger?”
Grace rolls her eyes. “Yeah, well, my killer is dead and hanging out with Lucifer now. Anyway, I’m here to talk about you.”
Noah backs up as she strides into the room. “I want to apologize,” she says, and then continues on despite the absolute shock on Noah’s face. “I should never have forced you to try to fit into the box I had in my head. You are not like me, nor should you be.” She crosses the room to Noah, who hasn’t yet recovered from the surprise of her apology.
“Thank you,” he says finally. “That’s very big of you.”
“Well, I’m not done yet, so we’ll see if you still want to thank me. But since I just murdered a man in cold blood, I suggest you listen.”
Noah’s mouth drops open. He looks to me, and I nod, confirming it.
“Noah Howard, you are my brother, and I love you no matter what. You’ve made some tough choices lately, and you have some more to make—”
“I killed Emily, Grace,” Noah blurts. He looks at the floor while he lets it sink in.
Grace swallows hard, and for a moment I think she’s going to falter, but she shakes it off and looks Noah in the eye. “Why?”
“I panicked,” he says in a choked voice. I think he may be fighting tears, and I slip up beside him to squeeze his hand. “It happened so fast, and I didn’t want to hurt her, but I didn’t know what else to do. She jumped me, and that Angel was there trying to glamour her to tell the police it was me and—”
“I’ve heard enough,” Grace says, waving it away and swallowing back any tears she wants to shed. “Emily was a good person, so I know she is safe in Heaven, and it doesn’t change anything I want to say. I don’t care about any prophecy or afterlife or any other shit. I don’t even care that you’re the Antichrist, though, after meeting a few other potentials, I’m still not sure I understand why. I just want you to be happy. It’s your choice whether to be Lucifer’s protégé. It’s up to you and no one else. But if you do want a bit of advice, then here it is: do the world a favor and kick Lucifer to the curb. Now if you’ll excuse me—that Angel you mentioned? I have to go seduce him so he can join us as another one of Lucifer’s slaves.”
Grace grabs hold of Noah and squeezes him tight in a hug.
“Oh,” she says, before he can respond, “and I’d appreciate it if you and he could get past the fighting I’ve heard about and try to get along.”
Grace spins on her heel and leaves the room.
Noah squeezes my hand. “Wow,” he says. “Are you okay? What did Lucifer do to you?”
I let him pull me close and kiss my neck as I debate how to answer. “I’m okay for now. Are you?”
“Now that you’re back. I won’t let him take you again, Keira.”
I close my eyes, letting his lips and touch comfort me despite my inability to believe him as much as I want to. “I can’t stay,” I say before he can discover the dagger.
“What?” He backs up. “Why?”
“I have another job. But when i
t’s over, maybe he’ll let me.” I shrug and smile. I can’t let Noah know that I’m sure Lucifer means to end me. It will only make things worse. “Meanwhile, you have some media frenzy to stir up.”
“Keira, you’re acting weird. What’s up?” He stalks toward me. Damn it, he actually knows me.
“Nothing’s up.”
“Oh yeah? Then what’s that?” He tugs up my shirt, revealing the jeweled cross that makes up the hilt of the deadly dagger.
Shit.
I jump back. “That is none of your business.”
“Keira, we both know I’m not letting you out of my sight until you tell me.”
“I’ll disappear.”
“I’ll call you right back”
We stare at each other, both frustrated and stubborn.
“Ugh. Fine. It’s a cursed blade. It can kill both Demons and Angels.”
He stares at the hilt. “Is it safe for you to wear it like that?” he asks.
“Safer than if someone else had it.”
“Who are you supposed to kill?” he asks, pulling me back into his arms. I can’t resist. It feels too good.
“Josh. Grace’s Angel. But only if she can’t make him fall.” I speak into his muscled chest. I can feel it through his suit.
“That’s his name. Josh,” he says softly. “Well, that asshole deserves it.”
I look up. “No, actually, he doesn’t. What happened with you guys, anyway?”
Noah snorts. “It’s like I said to Grace. He showed up at the parade and almost ruined everything. He tried to save the governor. Then he tried to frame me for the murder. I ended up having to kill poor Emily.”
I suck in my lip. He killed Grace’s best friend in front of Josh. No wonder they fought.
“It was his fault,” he says, shaking me a little. “Grace understood.”
“No. It was your fault,” I snap, backing away again. “Grace didn’t absolve you. She doesn’t have that power. She told you that she loves you anyway, and I do, too. But you can’t blame others for things that don’t go your way.”
“You sound pretty judgmental for a Demon,” Noah retorts.
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